Content providing method utilizing client storage areas to provide content over a network in accordance with a time frame

ABSTRACT

A method and a computer readable medium for implementing the method provide a desired kind of content to a client according to a time frame set up in a providing schedule. The method includes storing plural kinds of contents in a exclusive write storage area, the exclusive write storage area storing only contents provided by a single person, recognizing a demand time corresponding to a demand from the person for a desired kind of content to be sent over a network from the stored contents, judging the desired kind of content from the stored contents to be provided over the network to the client in a time frame set up in a providing schedule based on the demand time, and providing the desired kind of content to the client according to the time frame set up in the providing schedule.

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.09/821,501, filed Mar. 29, 2001 now U.S. Pat No. 6,963,898.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a content providing device, contentproviding method, program storage media, content providing system andcontent reservation control method, and profit give-back system, andmore particularly, is suitably applied to a computer network systemproviding a content through the Internet for example.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the case that a content consisting of images and/or voices created byan individual is provided via the Internet in a computer network system,it has been generally practiced up until now that he/she establisheshomepages of his/her own created using a personal computer.

In such a case where an individual opens homepages as in the above, auser acquires a homepage creation program by means of a personalcomputer, based on which homepages are created, hyper-linked with aplurality of content, which are stored in the server of an Internetservice provider (this is referred to as “ISP” hereinafter).

And, the ISP provides homepages from the server to a client accessing itthrough the Internet, and when the anchor on the homepages is clicked, ahyper-linked content s provided subsequently.

In such a computer network system structured as described above, thesame content is to be supplied continually to a client accessing ituntil the content of a homepage opened is renewed, which has posed aproblem of the client getting tired of it.

Also, in the computer network system, when an ISP provides plural typesof contents to a plurality of clients at the same time responding todemands received simultaneously for plural types of contentshyper-linked on the homepage from a plurality of clients, there has beena problem that the contents are not transmitted swiftly due to the largeconsumption of the bandwidth of network resources such as lines.

Furthermore, in such a computer network system structured as describedabove, even when a content is provided on a personal homepage created bya user through an ISP, it is not always the case that a large number ofclients access the personal homepage, and so there has been a problemthat a content created by an individual is not necessarily providedwidely to many and unspecific persons.

Still further, in such a computer network system structured as describedabove, the data of homepages stored in the server of an ISP is to readout responding to a demand from a client, which is provided over theInternet, however, there is a limitation to the number of the data ofhomepages to be provided simultaneously from the server due to thelimitations of the processing performance of the server and thebandwidth of a line.

Because of the above, in a computer network system, there has been aproblem that it comes to be hard to provide homepages swiftly to all ofa plurality of clients when the number of demands exceeds the upperlimitation due to the occurrence of a large number of demands forvarious homepages from the server of the ISP at one time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, an object of the first invention of thepresent invention is to provide a content providing device, contentproviding method, program storage media, and a content providing systemthat may keep clients interested.

An object of the second invention of the present invention is to providea content providing device, content providing method, program storagemedia, and a content providing system that may make it possible toprovide a content created by an individual widely to many and unspecificpersons.

An object of the third invention of the present invention is to providea content providing device, content reservation control method, programstorage medium, and content providing system capable of providingcontents swiftly without fail responding to demands.

The foregoing object and other objects of the first invention of thepresent invention have been achieved by the provision of a contentproviding device, content providing method, program storage media, and acontent providing system in which with plural kinds of contents readfrom the exclusive storage area secured an individual, the demand timeis recognized when a client makes a demand for a content over a networkfrom a content storing and providing means for providing the contentover the network, and with the type of the content judged, that contentis to be provided in a time schedule frame matching the demand timebased on the providing schedule so set up as to provide one type out ofthe plural types of contents in a given time schedule frame, so thatthat type of the content judged above is provided from the contentstoring and providing means to the client over the network.

Thus, different kinds of contents can be provided in each time scheduleframe appointed by the client as if from a personal broadcast station sothat a variety of contents can be provided in order in accordance withthe providing schedule without making the client weary, which makes itpossible to provide contents swiftly without fail without consuming alarge bandwidth of the line because the only type of a content isprovided in each time schedule frame.

The foregoing object and other objects of the second invention of thepresent invention have been achieved by the provision of a contentproviding device, content providing method, program storage media, and acontent providing system in which a content supplied from a firstinformation processing device is stored in the exclusive write storagearea reserved for storing content for a particular client whileavailable to provide the stored content to the public, from which thecontent is read out responding to a demand from a second informationprocessing device, and a control is performed in a way that a pluralityof the first information processing devices share a storage area dividedinto the exclusive write storage areas by the content storing andproviding means providing the content to the second informationprocessing device over a network.

Thus, because a plurality of the first information processing devicescan share the exclusive write storage area placed in the content storingand providing means, a plurality of the first information processingdevices having written contents in each separate exclusive write storagearea can provide the contents widely to many and unspecific secondinformation processing devices accessing the exclusive write storagearea available to provide content to the public.

The foregoing object and other objects of the third invention of thepresent invention have been achieved by the provision of a contentproviding device, content reservation control method, program storagemedium, and content providing system in which contents supplied from aninformation processing device are once stored in the exclusive storagearea secured for an individual person. With those contents retrievedresponding to demands from clients, providing schedule time data isreceived from the information processing device over a network, whichindicates the providing schedule time of contents to be provided by thecontent storing and providing means for providing those contents toclients over the network, based on which the providing schedule of thecontents is set up, concurrently setting up the upper limitation of thenumber of contents to be provided simultaneously at a given time on theproviding schedule. And, when it is detected that the upper value of thenumber of contents that could be provided simultaneously at a given timeis reached, it is notified of the information processing devices overthe network that reservations are impossible at that particular time onthe providing schedule.

With the upper value of the number of contents to be provided at onetime set up, when it is detected that the upper value specified of thenumber of contents to be provided simultaneously at a desired time onthe providing schedule, it is notified of the information processingdevices over the network that a reservation is impossible for thatparticular time on the providing schedule, which prevents againstsetting a providing schedule for the number of contents exceeding theupper value, so that contents may be always provided swiftly to aplurality of clients without fail.

The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts aredesignated by like reference numerals or characters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram used in explaining the principle of electroniccommercial dealings utilizing the Internet;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of a contentproviding system of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of a user PC;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a desktop screen;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a user information registrationscreen;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a user information file;

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of a contentprovider;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a user registration procedure processingsequence in the management server of an ASP;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the content of a user informationDB table registered in user information database;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a capture screen;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a confirmation screen;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an editing screen;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an on-demand type personalcasting control screen;

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a pulldown menu;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing my channel genre screen;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a codec selection screen;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing an on-demand type providingschedule management screen;

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing a commercial providing requestscreen;

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing a commercial link setup screen;

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a content ID setup screen;

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the content of a on-demand typeproviding schedule control file;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a connection processing sequence to anASP in the on-demand type;

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing the confirmation and changing processingsequence of a providing schedule;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a casting processing sequence in theon-demand type;

FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram showing the homepage screen of a personalcasting service;

FIG. 26 is a schematic diagram showing the genre table screen for mychannel;

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram showing a channel display screenregarding a “car” video genre;

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram showing a content display screenindicating content matching a selected channel button;

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram showing a live type personal castingcontrol screen;

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing the display processing sequence of a livetype providing schedule management screen;

FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram showing a live type providing schedulemanagement screen for public channels;

FIG. 32 is a schematic diagram showing the content of live typeproviding schedule control file;

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a reservation processing sequence;

FIG. 34 is a schematic diagram showing a live type providing schedulemanagement screen for my channel;

FIG. 35 is a schematic diagram showing the content of a live typeproviding schedule control file for my channel;

FIG. 36 is a schematic diagram showing a reservation unable messagedisplay screen;

FIG. 37 is a flowchart showing a connection processing sequence to anASP in the live type;

FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing a casting processing sequence conductedthrough my channel in the live type;

FIG. 39 is a schematic diagram showing a live video schedule displayscreen for my channel;

FIG. 40 is a schematic diagram showing a content display screen showingthe content of a live video matching a selected channel button;

FIG. 41 is a flowchart showing a casting processing sequence conductedthrough a public channel in the live type;

FIG. 42 is a schematic diagram showing a channel display screen forpublic channels;

FIG. 43 is a schematic diagram showing a live video schedule displayscreen for public channels;

FIG. 44 is a schematic diagram showing a content display screenindicating the content of a live video selected at the music livechannel;

FIG. 45 is a schematic diagram showing a contribution amount selectionscreen;

FIG. 46 is a flowchart showing the providing processing sequence ofcontent with commercial video; and

FIG. 47 is a flowchart showing a profits give-back processing sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Preferred embodiments of this invention will be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings:

(1) Principle of Electronic Commerce Utilizing the Internet

The Internet is a computer network system configured by connecting agreat number of computers one another by means of a communication link,which is designed such that information can be transmitted and/orreceived among the computers one another with the use of variousservices such as e-mail, Gopher, and World Wide Web (WWW).

As shown in FIG. 1, a WWW server 301 (also called “Web server” or “Website”, etc.), which provides a variety of services contained in the WWWto a client Personal Computer (PC) 302-1 to 302-N via the Internet,stores Web pages composed of graphic information such as figures andimages on the internal hard disk.

Each resource used on this WWW 301 or Web pages, etc., can be recognizedunmistakably with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), an advertisementtechnique to make a distinction on the Internet 300.

Accordingly, when the URL of Web pages a user wants to peruse isappointed by the user for example following a specified transferprotocol for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and so on, a client PC302-1 to 302-N connected to the Internet 300 makes a demand to the WWWserver 301 for reading the Web pages in accordance with the URL.

Upon receiving the Web pages transmitted from the WWW server 301 as aresult of demanding reading from the WWW server 301, the client PC 302-1to 302-N lets its display unit show the Web pages through a WWW browserstored in advance on the internal hard disk, thereby enabling the userto read the Web pages.

A Web page is typically defined with the use of Hyper Text MarkupLanguage (HTML), and an HTML document defining the Web page includessigns called tags (reserved words) regulated by HTML which specify howthe Web page should be displayed.

For additional information, an HTML document includes various tags toindicate graphics, control, and other functions, and is concurrentlycapable of appointing as a linkage point the URL of a Web page usablewith a WWW server 301 or other WWW servers, from which the reading ofthe Web page is demanded.

Accordingly, Web pages are to be shown on the display unit of client PC302-1 to 302-N in a display method intended by the provider of the Webpages.

In recent years, however, the foregoing WWW has come into use inelectronic commerce utilizing the Internet 300.

In this case, Web pages composed of commodity catalogs electricallytabling products for sale are prepared in a WWW server 301, which aretransmitted to a client PC 302-1 to 302-N owned by a client respondingto his/her demand for inspecting them.

In this way a client PC 302-1 to 302-N lets the display unit show Webpages received from the WWW server 301 over the Internet 300,consequently letting a client inspect the catalogs of commodities forsale.

When a user specifies articles to purchase on the Web pages of thecommodity catalogs shown on the display unit, a client PC 302-1 to 302-Nnotifies the WWW server 301 of that effect over the Internet 300.

Upon receiving it, the WWW server 301 demands client information from aclient PC 302-1 to 302-N, and receives from it the client informationincluding the name of a client purchasing products, credit card numberowned by the client, address the products are to be delivered to.

Next, upon receipt of the above client information, the WWW server 301transmits the Web page to a client PC 302-1 to 302-N, confirming anorder for the products, and let the client confirm the content of theorder on the Web page, subsequently arranging for them to be delivered.

In electronic commercial dealings utilizing the Internet 300 in thisway, electronic commercial dealings can be applied to a variety of goodsin the form of an electronic content such as music, which iselectronically delivered to a clientele over the Internet 300, or tophysical products such as personal computers, which are delivered to aclientele by home delivery firms.

Incidentally there is another method to define Web pages in addition tothe HTML, namely what is called extensible Markup Language (XML), which,as is the case with the HTML, uses tags, but is capable of expressingthe structure and meaning of a document, and of appointing attributessuch as hierarchical structure and data type for tags by Document TypeDefinition (DTD).

Accordingly, in the WWW server 301, if a Web page is defined with theuse of the XML, data for information processing such as an orderacceptance code, commodity code, unit price, and quantity retained inadvance in database for example, can be embedded into various tagsrespectively, so that the Web page can be used not only for inspecting,but for automatically carrying out information processing on calculatingorders using data for information processing embedded into the tags.

(2) Structure of Content Providing System

The 1 in FIG. 2 shows a content providing system in whole of the presentinvention to realize electronic commercial dealings utilizing theInternet, which comprises a user Personal computer (PC) 2 a contentcreator uses, content provider 3 storing a content created by the userPC 2 to be offered as required, plurality of clients PC 4 (4A to 4N)receiving the offer of a content specified on the Web site from thecontent provider 3, an online communication sales company 6, with whicha content creator does online shopping over the Internet 5 through auser PC 2, and a commercial client 7 creating a commercial image andasking the content provider 3 to provide commercial images to the clientPC 4, all connected one another over the Internet 5.

This content providing system 1 is a system wherein profits the contentprovider 3 receives are duly given back to a content creator (this iscalled “profit give-back” hereinafter) in accordance with the number ofaccesses a client PC 4 has made to a personal content created with auser PC 2, which may encourage the content creator to make still moreexcellent contents, and which may configure an entirely new businessmodel over the Internet 5, with the aim of increasing the number ofaccesses a client PC 4 makes to Web sites.

A content provider 3, online communication sales company 6, andcommercial client 7 enclosed in the broken lines, are affiliated oneanother forming a business alliance 8, which performs profits give-backprocessing in various modes to a content creator (user PC 2).

(3) User Registration Procedure for User PC

In this content providing system 1 a user PC 2 first needs to carry outa user registration procedure in respect to a content provider 3, whichis explained in detail hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 3, a user PC 2 comprises a CPU 10, hard disk drive(HDD) 12, Random Access Memory (RAM) 13, Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface 14, network interface 16,and display unit 17 of a liquid crystal display, all connected oneanother over a bus 11.

In a user PC 2 like this, in addition to Operating System (OS) or abasic program, various kinds of other application software are stored onthe HDD 12, which are turned on in RAM 13 as occasion arises to performa specific process.

That is, in the user PC 2, as shown in FIG. 4, when an online signupicon 20 on a desktop screen 19 (a Window screen of MicrosoftCorporation) appearing on the display unit 17, is clicked by a contentcreator with the OS turned on, the CPU 10 starts up an automatic onlinesignup software from the HDD 12, and lets the display unit 17 show auser information registration screen 21 as shown in FIG. 5.

This user information registration screen 21 is used to register userinformation when applying for a personal casting service as the screentitle indicates. Following the screen, a content creator enters his/hername, address, telephone number, e-mail address, date of birth, creditcard number, first desired user ID, second desired user ID, thirddesired user ID, desired channel name, password, and passwordconfirmation, and finally, selects either an “as-much-as-I-like course”or “beginner's course” as an application for the service.

The personal casting service is a content providing mode newly startedin the content providing system 1 of the present invention employing twocontent providing modes called an on-demand type and a live typerespectively, of which contents are described in detail later in thisdocument.

On the user information registration screen 21 are placed a cancelbutton 22 to make void the content of user information entered by thecontent creator, and an application button 23 to make an applicationwith the user information entered by the content creator.

Accordingly, when the application button 23 is clicked after the userinformation is entered, the CPU 10 of a user PC 2 creates a userinformation file 25 containing a content similar to that on the userinformation registration screen 21 (FIG. 5) as shown in FIG. 6, which istransmitted from a network interface 16 (FIG. 3) to the content provider3 in a given protocol over the Internet 5 (FIG. 2), and concurrentlywrites and retains the user information file 25 on the HDD 12.

A content provider 3 consists of an Internet service provider (called“ISP” hereinafter) 31 connecting a user PC 2 to the Internet 5 as shownin FIG. 7, and an application service provider (called “ASP”hereinafter) 32 storing contents supplied from a user PC 2, which areprovided to a client PC 4 as required.

An Internet service provider 31 comprises a control server 33 tosupervise the whole operation, charge management database 34 managingcharges to a user PC 2, and network interface 35 to connect the user PC2 to a network over the Internet 5, all connected one another over aLocal Area Network (LAN) 42, whereby charge management and networkcontrol are achieved under the control of the control server 33.

An application service provider 32 comprises a management server 36 tosupervise the whole operation, user information database 37 to managethe user information file 25 of a user PC 2, providing schedulemanagement database 38 to manage the providing schedule of a content,content server 39 to store and provide a content, viewer informationdatabase 40 to manage viewer information regarding a client PC 4(viewer) being a watcher and tableener of a content, and commercialmanagement database 44 to store and manage a commercial image suppliedfrom a commeracial client 7, matching it with the commercial imageidentification (ID), all connected one another over the LAN 43, and isdesigned to conduct user information management, providing schedulemanagement, content storing and providing processing, viewer informationmanagement, and commercial providing management under the control of themanagement server 36.

The content provider 3 receives a user information file 25 transmittedfrom a user PC 2 when conducting the user registration procedure at themanagement server 36 through the network interface 35 of the ISP 31 andthe network interface 41 of the ASP 32.

Upon receipt of the user information file 25, the management server 36of the ASP 32 starts a routine RT1 shown in FIG. 8 from the start stepand moves to the step SP1, following a user registration procedureprogram invoked out of the internal hard disk.

At the step SP1 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out thecontent of the user information file 25 transmitted from a user PC 2 andchecks the number of figures of a credit card number, and, when thenumber of figures turns out to be correct, it proceeds to the next stepSP2.

If, however, the credit card number does not consist of correct figures,the management server 36 of the ASP 32 notifies the user PC 2 of thateffect over the Internet 5, prompting the user to enter the credit cardnumber in the correct figures.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses the user informationdatabase 37 at the step SP2, and checks to see whether the credit cardnumber of the user information file 25 transmitted is duplicated, and,if not, and only in this case, it proceeds to the next step SP3.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses the credit-grantingcheck server 26 of a credit card company with its network interface 41over the Internet 5, and check to see whether that credit card number isvalid at the step SP3, and only when the credit card number is in ausable state, it proceeds to the next step SP4.

At the step SP4 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses the userinformation database 37 again, and checks to see whether desired firstto third user IDs are already in use, and only when any of the first tothird desired user IDs is not used yet, it proceeds to the next stepSP5.

At the step SP5 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 selects theunused user ID most highly desired out of the desired first to thirdIDs, and after determining a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) matching theuser ID, creates a user information DB table 45 as shown in FIG. 9 basedon the user information file 25, which is registered anew into a userinformation database 37. Then, it moves to the step SP6.

Added to the user information DB table 45 newly registered into the userinformation database 37 are, in addition to the content of the userinformation file 25, a URL determined matching the user ID, number ofaccumulated points the content creator has acquired, which is needed forthe content creator when receiving a profits give-back, user status(stage 1) indicating the rank of the user proportionate to the number ofaccumulated points, connection start time and date, connection end timeand date, Internet connection charges of the ISP 31 to the Internet 5 atthe current time, and service utilization charges for the appliedservice (“as-much-as-I-like course”) of the ASP 32.

In this way, after determining a URL matching a user ID the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 has it registered into the user informationdatabase 37, whereby granting a content creator a right to writing themovie file of a content created by an individual content creator in theexclusive storage area predetermined in the content server 39 orientedto the URL.

Also, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 manages a user informationdata table 45 in the user information database DB 37 by the contentcreator, and increases and renews the number of accumulated points ofthe content creator in accordance with the number of accesses made by aclient PC 4, or alters the user status of the content creator inaccordance with the number of accumulated points, or renews variouskinds of data in order on connection start time and date, connection endtime and date, current Internet connection charges, and service usecharges for services applied.

The user status is the rating of a content creator proportionate to thenumber of accumulated points, rising from the lowest stage 1 to stage 2to professional stage. Such being the case, the higher the user statusof a content creator, more profits give-back he/she may receive.

At the step SP6 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 lets the networkinterface 41 notify the user PC 2 of a determined user ID as well as aURL matching the user ID over the Internet 5.

At this time the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to supply theuser PC 2 with automatic upload software so programmed as “toautomatically connect to the URL matching the user ID and automaticallywrite the movie file of a content created by the user PC 2 in theexclusive memory area in the content server 39 oriented to the URL.”

Thus the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 downloads the automatic upload softwareover the Internet 5, and displays the upload icon 27 of the automaticupload software on the desktop screen 19 (FIG. 4) based on the automaticupload software.

Then, when the upload icon 27 of the desktop screen 19 is clicked by thecontent creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 connects to the ASP 32 viathe ISP 31 over the Internet 5 according to the automatic uploadsoftware, and gives to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 theinstructions “to automatically write the movie file of a content in theexclusive memory area in the content server 39 oriented to the URL.”

Due to the above, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 can write themovie file of the content supplied from the user PC 2 in the exclusivememory area of the content server 39 based on the URL, and reads out themovie file of the content from the exclusive memory area of the contentserver 39 responding to a demand from a client PC 4, which is providedto the client PC 4.

In this way, once the automatic upload software is downloaded from theASP 32 with the user ID designated and URL determined according to theuser information registration procedure followed by the content creator,the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 makes it increasingly easier to upload themovie file of a content into the exclusive memory area of the contentserver 39 merely by the content creator performing a click operation onthe upload icon 2 without letting the content creator consciously enterthe URL.

As a result, in the content providing system 1 it is possible toconfigure a system as if to open a personal broadcast station offering acontent through one's own exclusive channel (this is called “my channel”hereinafter).

With the user registration procedure processing completed the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 creates a user registration completenotification mail at the step SP7, which is transmitted from the networkinterface 41 to the user PC 2 over the Internet 5, completing all theuser registration procedure processing at the step SP8.

Meanwhile, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to transmit apersonal user information DB table 45 as required to the control server33 of the ISP 31 forming a business alliance, a telephone company (notshown in figures) performing line connection from the user PC 2 to anaccess point of the ISP31, and an online communication sales company 6.

Consequently the control server 33 of the ISP 31 and the onlinecommunication sales company 6, too, are to hold the user information DBtable 45.

Accordingly, all the user PC 2 is asked to do is just perform the userregistration procedure processing at the very first, and is not forcedto follow a troublesome procedure whenever accessing an ISP 31, atelephone company, an online order sales company, and so on.

Incidentally, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to obtain acontent creator's consent in advance while conducting a userregistration procedure to transmitting the content of a personalinformation DB table 45 to the control server 33 of an ISP 31, atelephone company, and an online communication sales company 6.

(4) Mode of Personal Casting Service

In the content providing system of the present invention 1, there are anon-demand type and a live type as content providing modes in thepersonal casting service as mentioned before.

The on-demand type is a service wherein a content is stored in advancein the exclusive memory area of the content server 39 oriented to a URLa user PC 2 obtained before at the time of user registration for thepersonal casting service, and a content is provided to a client PC 4when asked for through the exclusive memory area of the content server39 as if through its own exclusive channel (my channel) or a personalbroadcast station.

On the other hand, the live type is a service mode wherein many andunspecific registered users of the personal casting service use on ashared basis by dividing by the time schedule the exclusive memory areaof the content server 39 designated by URLs by the image channels ofparticular genres (e.g., wedding channel, music live channel, theaterlive channel, and event live channel), and wherein the content of a liveimage reproduced by means of streaming is transmitted to a client PC 4asking for it via the exclusive memory area of the content server 39 onthe real time.

In this way, the live type is designed such that many and unspecificregistered users can provide contents freely by reserving a time framein which to use the exclusive memory area of the content server 39designated by URLs by the video channel of a specific genre, wherebymaking it possible to provide a content of a live image to a client PC 4requiring it as if through a public video channel (this is called“public channel” hereinafter).

(5) Personal Casting Service by On-Demand Type

Next, concrete explanation is given on the personal casting service bythe on-demand type of the content providing system 1.

(5-1) Content Creation Processing of On-Demand Type

The CPU 10 of a user PC 2 (FIG. 3) lets the display units 17 display acapture screen 50 as shown in FIG. 10 by first invoking image capturesoftware out of an HDD 12.

In this case, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 links a digital video camera18 connected through the IEEE1394 interface 14 and a capture screen 50turned on by the image capture software, followed by the setup of theon-demand mode by a content creator clicking a movie mode switchingbutton 53.

Then the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 lets the content creator confirm animage photographed by the digital video camera 18 displayed on thefinder display area 51, getting recording started with the digital videocamera 18 with the capture button 52 clicked by the content creator, andrecording ended with the capture button 52 clicked again.

At this time the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 captures animation datarecorded on the digital video camera 18 through the IEEE1394 interfaceresponding to the clicking of the capture button 52, which is oncerecorded on the HDD 12.

Next, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 lets the display unit 17 show aconfirmation screen 55 according to the image capture software as shownin FIG. 11. On this confirmation screen 55 are formed a video displayarea 56 to display reproduced movie data once recorded on the HDD 12,time code display area 57 to indicate a time code for the movie databeing reproduced, date display area 58 to show the date of recording,operation buttons 59 to reproduce, stop, fast forward, or rewind moviedata, delete button 60 to delete part or the whole of movie data fromthe HDD 12, and OK button 61, which enables a content creator to confirmthe scenes of movie data recorded on the confirmation screen 55 and toedit them so as to have the only desired scenes kept.

It means, that when the content creator clicks the OK button 61 afterconfirming and editing the scenes of the recorded movie data on theconfirmation screen 55, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 next invokes editsoftware out of the HDD 12, and lets the display unit 17 show an editscreen 65 as shown in FIG. 12.

On this edit screen 65 are placed three types of confirmation screendisplay areas 66 to 68 capable of displaying the confirmation screen 55for the movie data recorded with the digital video camera 18, an orderbutton 69 to determine a composition order for the three kinds of moviedata, a composition button 70 to compose the three kinds of movie datain a determined composition order, and an OK button 71.

Accordingly, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 determines a composition orderfor the three kinds of movie data with the order button 69 clicked bythe content creator, and creates a movie file by compounding the threekinds of movie data in accordance with the determined composition orderresponding to the click of the composition button 70, which is oncestored on the HDD 12 as a content to be stored in the content server 39of the ASP 32.

(5-2) Schedule Reservation in the On-Demand Type

Subsequently, when the OK button 71, or upload icon 27 on the desktopscreen 19 (FIG. 4) is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of theuser PC 2 turns on the automatic upload software downloaded in advancefrom the ASP 32 at the time of user registration, and lets the displayunit 17 display an on-demand type personal casting control screen 75 asshown in FIG. 13.

On the on-demand type personal casting control screen 75 appear theletters “On-Demand” in the mode display area 76 indicating that theon-demand mode is set up currently, and the company name of the ISP 31in an ISP name display area 77 automatically as well as the letters “MyChannel” in an ASP channel display area 78, which is set upautomatically in the on-demand mode.

Also, an option button 81 is located on the on-demand type personalcasting control screen 75, and when this option button 81 is clicked bythe content creator, the CPU 10 of the use PC 2 displays a pulldown menu85 as shown in FIG. 14 on the on-demand type personal casting controlscreen 75 based on the automatic upload software.

On this pulldown menu 85 are placed a genre setup button 85A to appointa video genre of a content created by the content creator, CODECselection button 85B to select a codec when providing a content to aclient PC 4 requiring it, schedule reservation button 85C to enable thecontent creator to freely determine a content providing schedule,commercial providing request button 85D to provide a commercial imageaffixed to the head portion of a content as desired by the contentcreator, commercial link setup button 85E to link to a homepage of, forexample, a commercial sponsoring company from a commercial video, andcontent ID setup button 85F to set up a content ID suitable for acontent.

When the genre setup button 85A is clicked by the content creator out ofthe pulldown menu 85, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 lets the display unit17 indicate my channel genre display screen 90 as shown in FIG. 15 basedon the automatic upload software.

On the my channel genre screen 90 are displayed category icons 91 to 99assorted by the video category for the content creator to appoint avideo genre of the content. When any one (“car” category icon 92 forexample) of them is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of theuser PC 2 acknowledges the video genre of a content as “car”, the resultof which is once retained on the HDD 12 as the category data.

Also, when the CODEC selection-button 85B out of the pulldown menu 85 isclicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 lets thedisplay unit 17 display a codec selection screen 100 as shown in FIG. 16on a basis of the automatic upload software.

On this CODEC selection screen 100 is to be selected any one of, forexample, Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 4, MPEG 2, or Real G2 as acodec when providing a content to a client PC 4, and so, if a check markis put on the MPEG 4 for example by the content creator, the CPU 10 ofthe user PC 2 recognizes the type of a codec as MPEG 4, the result ofwhich is once retained on the HDD 12 as the codec type data.

Furthermore, when the schedule reservation button 85C out of thepulldown menu 85 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of theuser PC 2 lets the display unit 17 display an on-demand type providingschedule management screen 105 as shown in FIG. 17 on a basis of theautomatic upload software.

On this on-demand type providing schedule management screen 105 areplaced a calendar display area 106, video table display area 107,schedule content display area 108, decision button 109, schedule contentconfirmation button 110, and schedule content renewal button 111.

When the content creator click-selects a desired date (e.g., February,19) when a content is to be provided in the calendar display area 106 onthis on-demand type providing schedule management screen 105, the CPU 10of the user PC 2 acknowledges a providing date desired by the contentcreator as February,. 19, consequently having February, 19 once retainedon the HDD 12 as the providing date data, and the providing date(February, 19) automatically written and displayed on the title area inthe schedule display area 108.

And, when a time schedule appoint bar 112 is appointed by the contentcreator by clicking to a desired start time and an end time in theschedule content display area 108 on the on-demand type providingschedule management screen 105, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 acknowledgesthe time schedule frame from start time to end time, and simultaneouslydisplays the time schedule appoint bar 112 segmented by time scheduleframes appointed by the content creator.

That is to say, the time schedule bar 112 in the schedule contentdisplay area 108 is displayed, segmented into; first time schedule framefrom 6:00 to 6:59:59, second time schedule frame from 7:00 to 7:59:59,third time schedule frame from 8:00 to 8:59:59, fourth time scheduleframe from 9:00 to 10:59:59, fifth time schedule frame from 21:00 to21:59:59, and sixth time schedule frame from 22:00 to 23:59:59.

Subsequently, when a desired sign of the kinds (MA, MB, or MC)indicating the kinds of videos (e.g., 4WD, sports car, electric car) isclicked out of the video table display area 107 with a desired timeschedule frame on the time schedule appoint bar 112 click-selected bythe content creator at the same time, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2recognizes the video kind of a content to be offered out of the selectedfirst to sixth time schedule frames by the kind sign (MA, MB, or MC),and the recognized kind signs are displayed within the time scheduleframes respectively on the time schedule appoint bar 112.

Then, when the decision button 109 is clicked on the on-demand typeproviding schedule management screen 105, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2creates a providing schedule program to provide a content in thedetermined kind reserved for each of the first to sixth time scheduleframes on the time schedule appoint bar 112, which is once retained onthe HDD 12.

That is, the providing schedule program is programmed to provide thecontent of “4WD” corresponding to the kind sign MA when it receives ademand for a time within the first time schedule frame on the timeschedule appoint bar 112 from a client PC 4; to provide the content of“sports car” corresponding to the kind sign MB when it receives a demandfor a time within the second time schedule frame from a client PC 4; toprovide the content of “4WD” corresponding to the kind sign MA when itreceives a demand for a time within the third time schedule frame from aclient PC 4; to provide the content of “sedan” corresponding to the kindsign MC when it receives a demand for a time within the fourth timeschedule frame from a client PC 4; to provide the content of “sportscar” corresponding to the kind sign MB when it receives a demand for atime within the fifth time schedule frame from a client PC 4; and toprovide the content of “4WD” corresponding to the kind sign MA when itreceives a demand for a time within the sixth time schedule frame from aclient PC 4.

Furthermore, when the commercial providing request button 85D from amongthe pulldown menu 85 (FIG. 14) is clicked by the content creator, theCPU 10 of the user PC 2 lets the display unit 17 show a commercialproviding request screen 115 as shown in FIG. 18 based on the automaticupload software.

On this commercial providing request screen 115 are located a commercialdesired button 115A and a commercial undesired button 115B to ask thecontent creator whether he/she wishes to provide a client PC 4 with acommercial video affixed to the head portion of his/her content, so thatonly when the commercial desired button 115A is clicked by the contentcreator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 creates commercial desired dataindicating that a commercial video is desired to be affixed to thecontent, which is once retained on the HDD 12.

Furthermore, when the commercial link setup button 85E out of thepulldown menu 85 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of theuser PC 2 lets the display unit 17 display a commercial link setupscreen 116 as shown in FIG. 19 based on the automatic upload software.

On this commercial link setup screen 116 are placed a commercial linkYes button 116A to set up an anchor to link to the homepage of acommercial sponsoring company for example from the commercial videoinitially affixed to the content, and a commercial link No button 116Bnot to set up linkage from the commercial video, and only when thecommercial link Yes button 116A is clicked by the content creator, theCPU 10 of the user PC 2 creates commercial link data to the effect thatan anchor is desired to be set up to link to a given homepage from thecommercial video, which is once retained on the HDD 12.

Furthermore, when the content ID setup button 85F is clicked by thecontent creator out of the pulldown menu 85, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2lets the display unit 17 show a content ID setup screen 117 as shown inFIG. 20 based on the automatic upload software.

A content ID input area 117A being formed on this content ID setupscreen 117, when the execute key is depressed with a given content IDmatching a content entered by the content creator, the CPU 10 of theuser PC 2 acknowledges the content ID, which is once retained on the HDD12.

In this way, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sets up various conditions foroffering a content according to the pulldown menu 85 displayed byclicking the option button 81 on the personal casting control screen 75,and newly creates an on-demand type providing schedule control file 120as shown in FIG. 21 based on the various condition kinds of data(category data, codec kind data, providing schedule program, commercialdesired data, commercial link data, and content ID) once recorded on theHDD 12, and the content of the user information file 25 created when theuser registration procedure processing was performed, which is oncerecorded on the HDD 12.

That is to say, in the on-demand type providing schedule control file120 once retained on the HDD 12 are stored an ISP name (*****) as an“ISP connection point” used in connecting to the Internet 5, a channeltype (my channel) as “ASP channel” at the time when the ASP 32 providescontent, content ID (***) determined by the content creator as “contentID”, CODEC (MPEG 4) as “CODEC” at the time of providing content, videocategory (car) as “video genre”, content (various conditions such as“schedule to be provided from 6:00 February, 19”) of providing scheduledata as “providing schedule”, with/without commercial providing request(with commercial) as “commercial request”, with/without commercial link(without commercial link) as “commercial link”, user ID (kimkim) as“user ID at the time of user registration, and password (*****) as“password” at the time of user registration.

Accordingly, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 lets the video genre displayarea 79 on the on-demand type personal casting control screen 75 (FIG.13) display the letters “car” indicating the video category of a contentbased on the on-demand type providing schedule control file 120, and theletters “to be provided from 6:00 February, 19” on the providingschedule reservation area 80.

It has been explained in effect that commercial link and a content IDare set up by the user PC 2 with the use of the pulldown menu 85,however, they may be set up automatically on the side of the managementserver 36 of ASP 32.

As to the commercial link setup for example, when a link appointment hasbeen made in advance by a commercial client 7, commercial link is madeautomatically to a commercial (commercial) determined to be provided bya client PC 4.

Also, when an image is uploaded for example, a content ID is set upautomatically on the side of the management server 36 of the ASP 32,thus making it possible to manage an image on the management server 36of the ASP 32 with this ID.

(5-3) Connection Processing to ASP in On-demand Type

Next, when the content of the on-demand type personal casting controlscreen 75 (FIG. 13) is confirmed by the content creator with the connectbutton 82 clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2starts a routine RT2 shown in FIG. 22 at the start step following theautomatic upload software, and moves on to the step SP11.

At the step SP11 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 logs into the ASP 32 from thenetwork interface 16 (FIG. 3) over the Internet 5 and through the ISP31, and accesses the user information database 37 of the ASP 32 toobtain authentication based on the user ID, password, and so on, andthen moves to the step SP12.

Having obtained authentication of the ASP 32 at the step SP12, the CPU10 of the PC 2 reads out an on-demand type providing schedule controlfile 120 and the movie file of the content from the HDD 12, which aretransferred to the management server 36 from the network interface 16via the Internet 5, network interface 35 of the ISP 31, and networkinterface 41 of the ASP 32, and proceeds to the next step SP13,terminating the processing.

In this way the CPU 10 of the PC 2 is designed to be capable ofuploading the on-demand type providing schedule control file 120 and themovie file of the content into the ASP 32 following the automatic uploadsoftware.

Upon receipt of the on-demand type providing schedule control file 120and the movie file of the content through the network interface 41, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 registers the on-demand typeproviding schedule control file 120 into the providing schedulemanagement database 38, and stores the movie file of the content in theexclusive memory area of the content server 39 oriented to the URLobtained at the time of user registration by the user PC 2.

In the case of a commercial providing request “with commercial” as thecontent of the on-demand type providing schedule control file 120, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 creates a movie file with commercialby affixing a commercial video supplied in advance by the commercialclient 7 and stored in the commercial control database 44 to the headportion of the movie file of the content, which is retained in thecontent server 39 once again.

In the meantime, the control server 33 of the ISP 31 charges to the userID of the user PC 2 an Internet connection charge occurring while theuser PC 2 is uploading the on-demand type providing schedule controlfile 120 and the movie file of the content into the ASP 32, and renewsthe charge data of the charge management database 34.

Also, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 charges the service usecharge of the ASP 32 to the user ID of the user PC 2, of which data istransmitted to the charge management database 34 via the networkinterface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31, and renews thecharge data of the charge management database 34.

Incidentally, when the user PC 2 has a contract for a fixed chargeservice called “as-much-as-I-like course”, the control server 36 of theASP 32 records in the user information database 37 the connection timefrom connection start time and date to connection end time and date onlywithout performing charge processing with the service use chargeremaining fixed.

In the case where the content of the on-demand type providing schedulecontrol file 120 is confirmed after the on-demand type providingschedule control file 120 and the movie file of the content are uploadedinto the ASP 32, the only thing the content creator is to do is justclick the schedule content confirmation button 110 on the on-demand typeproviding schedule management screen 105 (FIG. 17).

At this time the CPU 10 of the PC 2 starts a routine RT3 shown in FIG.23 at the start step, and proceeds to the step SP15 following theautomatic upload software.

With the schedule content confirmation button 110 clicked by the contentcreator the CPU 10 of the PC 2 performs log-in processing to the ASP 32from the network interface 16 (FIG. 3) over the Internet 5 and ISP 31 atthe step SP15, and obtains authentication on the user ID, and password,etc., by accessing the user information database 37 of the ASP 32, andthen proceeds to the next step SP16.

The management server of the ASP 32 having obtained authentication onthe user ID, and password, etc., the CPU 10 of the PC 2 is supplied withthe on-demand type providing schedule control file 120 from theproviding schedule management database 38 at the step SP16, and lets thedisplay unit 17 show the on-demand type providing schedule managementscreen 105 (FIG. 17) once again based on the on-demand type providingschedule control file 120.

Like this, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 lets the display unit 17 display theon-demand type providing schedule management screen 105, so that thecontent creator can reconfirm the content of the on-demand typeproviding schedule control file 120.

In the case that the content creator tries to modify the content of theon-demand type providing schedule control file 120 later, when thedecision button 109 is clicked after the modification of the providingschedule is made on the on-demand type providing schedule managementscreen 105, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 proceeds to the next step SP17.

At the step SP17 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 creates a new providing schedulebased on the content modified on the on-demand type providing schedulemanagement screen 105, based on which a new on-demand type providingschedule control file 120 is created, and then it proceeds to the nextstep SP18.

When the renewal button 111 on the on-demand type providing schedulemanagement screen 105 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 ofthe PC 2 transfers the new on-demand type providing schedule controlfile 120 to the ASP 32 over the Internet 5, and proceeds to the nextstep SP19, terminating the processing.

As a result, the control server 36 of the ASP 32 renews the providingschedule management database 38 with the new on-demand type providingschedule control file 120, based on which the providing schedule of thecontent is to be managed in future.

(5-4) Content Providing Processing in On-Demand Type

A client PC 4, too, can make user registration to a content provider 3when receiving a content similarly as a user PC 2 can, and in this casea user registration procedure should be made following the userregistration processing procedure of the routine RT1 (FIG. 8), then aviewer information file with respect to the user ID and password of theclient PC 4 is registered in the viewer information database 40 by thecontrol server 36 of the ASP 32.

In the case that user registration is not made, a client PC 4 may accessdirectly, as a visitor, the web site of the personal casting serviceprovided by the ASP 32. The only user-registered client PC 4 is allowedto make a contribution easily to the content creator of a content, bywhich the client is moved, or with which the client sympathizes, orwhich the client feels excellent. Explanation is given on thecontribution later.

In practice, in such a case that a content is provided to auser-registered client PC 4 in the on-demand type for example, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 starts a routine RT4 shown in FIG. 24at the start step following a content providing program invoked from thehard disk installed inside of it, and then proceeds to the step SP21.

At the step SP21 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is logged in bythe client PC 4 and proceeds to the next step SP22, referring to theviewer information file in the viewer information database 40 based onof the user ID and password sent from the client PC 4.

As a result of having referred to the viewer information file in theviewer information database 40 based on the user ID and password at thestep SP22, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether theclient PC 4 logging in is a legitimate registered user.

A negative result, if obtained here, means that the user ID and passworddo not match those registered in the viewer information database 40,then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 returns to the step SP21,and lets the client PC 4 perform log-in processing again, prompting theclient PC 4 to enter the correct user ID and password.

On the other hand, if an affirmative result is obtained at the stepSP22, it means that the client PC 4 is a regular registered user, thenthe management server 36 of the ASP 32 moves to the next step SP23.

At the step SP23 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads the HTMLfile of a homepage in the personal casting service from the contentserver 39 responding to an access by the client PC 4, which istransmitted to the client PC 4 from the network interface 41 over theInternet 5.

The client PC 4 having almost the same structure as the user PC 2 has,its CPU (not shown in figure) receives the HTML file of a homepage inthe personal casting service transmitted from the ASP 32, which isdisplayed on the display unit as a homepage screen 125 (NetscapeCommunication Corp's Netscape navigator screen) as shown in FIG. 25.

On this homepage screen 125 are placed an on-demand type my channelselection button 127 to receive a supply of a content on an on-demandmode selection display area 126 through my channel as well as a livetype public channel selection button 129 to receive a supply of acontent of a live video on a live mode selection display area 128through a public channel, and a live type my channel selection button130 to receive a supply of a content of a live video through my channel.

When the on-demand type my channel selection button 127 is clicked bythe user on this homepage screen 125, the CPU of the client PC 4transmits to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5a mode selection signal indicating the selection of the on-demand typemy channel selection button 127.

At the step SP24 the management server 36 retrieves an HTML fileconstituting a genre table screen for my channel from the content server39 based on the mode selection signal transmitted from the client PC 4,which is transmitted to the client PC 4 from the network interface 41over the Internet 5.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of the genretable screen for my channel transferred from the ASP 32, which isdisplayed on the display unit as the genre table screen 135 for mychannel as shown in FIG. 26.

This genre table screen 135 for my channel is almost similar to thegenre table screen 90 (FIG. 15) for my channel the content creator usesin selecting a video genre of content, with a category icon 136 to 144assigned to each video category displayed on it.

When any one (e.g., “car” category icon 137) of those category icons 136to 144 is clicked by the user of the client PC 4 on the genre tablescreen 135 for my channel, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits to themanagement server 36 over the Internet 5 a genre selection signalcorresponding to the “car” category icon 137.

At the step SP25 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 retrieves theHTML file of the channel display screen as to the video category “car”from the content server 39 based on the genre selection signaltransmitted from the client PC 4, which is transmitted to the client PC4 from the network interface 41 over the Internet 5.

In this way the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of thechannel display screen transmitted from the ASP 32, which is displayedon the display unit as a channel display screen 150 regarding the videogenre “car” as shown in FIG. 27.

On this channel display screen 150 are displayed channel buttons 151 to159, each assigned with a channel name (Kimura Ch) set up in the userinformation DB table 45 (FIG. 9) at the time when the content creatorconducted user registration processing. A user is to click-select adesired channel button (e.g., Kimura Ch) out of them.

At the step SP26 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether adesired channel button 155 is click-selected by the user of the clientPC 4 watching the channel display screen 150.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5 a content ID set upresponding to the channel button 155 selected by the user.

Accordingly, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 acknowledges that adesired channel button 155 is clicked at the place where the content IDis received, and captures a URL matching the channel button 155,referring to the on-demand type providing schedule control file 120stored in the providing schedule management database 38 based on thecontent ID.

A negative result, if obtained at this step SP26, means that none of thechannel buttons 151 to 159 displayed on the channel display screen 150is selected by the user, and then the management server 36 of the ASP 32stands by until any one of the channel buttons 151 to 159 is selected.

If an affirmative result is obtained at the step SP26, however, it meansthat a user-desired channel button 155 is click-selected out of thechannel buttons 155 to 159, and then the management server 36 of the ASP32 proceeds to the next step SP27.

Upon receipt of a content ID matching a clicked channel (e.g., KimuraCH) 155 from the client PC 4 over the Internet 5, the management server36 of the ASP 32 refers to the on-demand type providing schedule controlfile 120 based on the content ID, and retrieves a movie file withcommercial of a certain kind (MA, MB, or MC) of a video to be providedat the timing of the channel button 155 clicked from the exclusivememory area in the content server 39 based on a URL matching the contentID, which (retrieved movie file) is transmitted to the client PC 4 overthe Internet 5, and then it goes to the next step SP28, terminating theprocessing.

In practice, if a channel button (e.g., Kimura Ch) 155 is clicked by theuser at 10:55 a.m. on February 19 for example, the management server 36of the ASP 32 refers to the on-demand type providing schedule controlfile 120 and transmits to the client PC 4 the movie file with commercialof a movie kind “Sedan” in accordance with the providing schedule on theschedule content display area 108 appointed on the on-demand typeproviding schedule management screen 105 (FIG. 17).

Due to this, the client PC 4 lets the display unit display a contentdisplay screen 165 as shown in FIG. 28 based on the movie file withcommercial received, and a commercial movie is first displayed in adisplay area 166 formed in the center of the content display screen 165,with an animated image of a car “sedan” displayed subsequently.

In this way the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to transmit to theclient PC 4 one kind of a movie file with commercial to be provided atthe timing when a channel button 151 to 159 is clicked by the user ofthe client PC 4 in accordance with the content of the on-demand typeproviding schedule control file 120.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is capable of transmittinga content swiftly without delay, consuming a narrower bandwidth of atransmission line, even when transmitting the same content to aplurality of clients PC4 almost at the same time responding to theirdemands, compared to the case where a plurality of contents need to betransmitted simultaneously at a certain timing.

Also, at this time the management server 36 of the ASP 32 counts thenumber of the clicks by a client PC 4 as the access number every time amovie file with commercial is provided to a client PC 4 responding tothe click operation.

In this case, the access times counted being equivalent to the number ofpeople watching the commercial video, the management server 36 of theASP 32 is designed to give points proportionate to the number of accesstimes to the content creator, so that a fair profits give-back goes tothe content creator who creates a most frequently accessed content, withthe points of that content creator registered in the user information DBtable 45 matching the user ID, which is stored in the user database 37.

(6) Personal Casting Service in Live Type

Next, concrete explanation is given on the personal casting service bythe live type of a content providing system 1.

(6-1) Schedule Reservation in the Live Type

In the live type, to provide a content of a live video on the real timeit is not necessary to create the movie file of a content and to have itstored in the content server 39 of the ASP 32 in advance as done in theon-demand type.

In the live type, however, since a content is to be provided through acommon public channel (wedding ceremony channel, music live channel,theater live channel, or event live channel), it is necessary to reservein advance a time schedule frame in which to use a public channel.

To reserve a time schedule frame in which to use a public channel is toreserve a time schedule frame in which to use the exclusive memory areaof the content server 39 assigned, oriented to the URL of each publicchannel.

In practice, when the ASP 32 provides a content of a live video, it oncewrites the movie file of a live video sent from a user PC 2 in theexclusive memory area of the content server 39 appointed with the URLfor each public channel, which is retrieved to be output.

It means that to make a reservation for a time schedule frame in whichto use a public channel the CPU 10 of the PC 2 first lets the displayunit 17 display a capture screen 50 (FIG. 10) by turning the imagecapture software as is the case with the on-demand type.

And, after the live mode is set up responding to the click operation ofthe movie mode switching button 53 on the capture screen 50, the CPU 10of the PC 2 invokes the automatic upload software downloaded in advancefrom the ASP32 at the time of user registration, and lets the displayunit 17 display a live type personal casting control screen 170 as inFIG. 29, which has the same reference numerals as those assigned to thecorresponding parts in FIG. 13.

On the live type personal casting control screen 170 is displayed theletters “LIVE” indicating that the live mode is set up currently on themode display area 171 as well as the letters “PUBLIC CHANNEL” set asdefault in the live mode on the ASP channel display area 172, and isformed a schedule reservation button 173 in place of the option button81 on the on-demand type personal casting control screen 75 (FIG. 13).

On the live type personal casting control screen 170 is also indicatedthe name of a public channel (e.g., “MUSIC LIVE”) on a video genredisplay area 79 determined by the content creator at the time ofreserving a time schedule frame, out of four (4) types of channels:wedding ceremony channel, music live channel, theater live channel, andevent live channel set up as public channels.

Furthermore, on the live type personal casting control screen 170 isdisplayed the providing time and date of a content of a live videoreserved by the content creator, in the providing schedule reservationdisplay area 80 as done in the on-demand type.

In the live type personal casting control screen 170 described above,when the schedule reservation button 173 is clicked by the contentcreator, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 turns on the automatic upload softwaredownloaded from the ASP 32, and starts a routine RT5 shown in FIG. 30,at the start step, and proceeds to the step SP31.

At the step SP31 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 logs in to the ASP 32 from thenetwork interface 16 (FIG. 3) over the Internet 5 and through the ISP31, and obtains authentication based on the user ID, and password, etc.,by accessing the user information database 37 of the ASP 32, then moveson to the next step SP32.

At the step SP32 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 receives over the Internet 5 alive type providing schedule control file on the reservation status ofthe public channel retrieved by the management server 36 of the ASP 32from the providing schedule management database 38, which is recorded onthe HDD, and it proceeds to the step SP33.

At the step SP33 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 lets the display unit 17 displaya live type providing schedule management screen 175, as shown in FIG.31, for a public channel based on the live type providing schedulecontrol file on the reservation status of a public channel supplied fromthe ASP32, and then it terminates the processing at the next step SP34.

On this live type providing schedule management screen 175 are formedfour (4) types of public channel buttons: wedding ceremony Ch button176, music live Ch button 177, theater live Ch button 178, and liveevent Ch button 179, oriented to a wedding ceremony channel, music livechannel, theater live channel, and event live channel respectively.

When the music live Ch button 177 is clicked for example by a contentcreator out of the four types of public channels, the CPU 10 of the PC 2displays in a schedule content display area 180 the current reservationstatus of the “MUSIC LIVE CHANNEL” based on the live type providingschedule control file.

On a schedule time plan table 182 in the schedule content display area180 is displayed the reservation status on the date of the current dayas a default, and when a desired reservation data (e.g., February, 19)in the calendar display area 181 is clicked by the content creator, theCPU 10 of the PC 2 displays a reservation status of a desiredreservation date (February, 19) regarding the music live channel in theschedule time plan table 182 based on the live type providing schedulecontrol file.

The content creator is to confirm the reservation status on a desiredreservation date (February, 19) displayed on the schedule time plantable 182 and to appoint a desired start time (e.g., 10:00) and end time(10:59:59) out of the “vacant” time schedule of a time schedule appointbar 183 with the cursor, whereby determining a time schedule frame 183Afor a content of a live video to be provided.

By performing the above processing, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 acknowledgesas the reserved time schedule frame data the start time and end time ofthe time schedule frame 183A specified by the content creator, which isadditionally written in the live type providing schedule control file,displaying “FULL” in the time schedule frame 183A.

If the content creator enters the name (e.g., “xx tour”) of a content tobe provided in the reserved time schedule frame 183A, that name isautomatically added to the live type providing schedule control fileoriented to a given content ID.

When a check mark is affixed to the MPEG 4 for example as a codec whenproviding a content of a live video out of the codec selection displayarea 184, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 acknowledges the type of aselected codec as MPEG 4, the result of which is added to the live typeproviding schedule control file as the codec type data.

Out of a commercial desired button 185 by which a client PC 4 wants acommercial video provided, affixed to the head portion of content, and acommercial undesired button 186 by which the client PC 4 indicates thata commercial video is not desired to be provided, when the commercialdesired button 185 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of thePC 2 creates commercial desired data by which a commercial video isdesired to be affixed to the content of a live video, which is added tothe live type providing schedule control file.

Thus, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 performs various settings to provide acontent of a live video through a music live channel as a publicchannel, thereby creating a new live type providing schedule controlfile 189 as shown in FIG. 32, which is once recorded on the HDD 12.

In the live type providing schedule control file 189 are stored an ISPname (*****) used when connecting to the Internet 5 as an “ISPconnection destination”, channel type (public channel) used as an “ASPchannel” when the ASP provides a content of a live video, the title (xxtour) of a content as the “name of a content”, codec (MPEG 4) as “CODEC”at the time of providing, type of a public channel (music live channel)selected by the content creator as a “public channel” matching a contentof a live video, time and date (various conditions such as a providingschedule from 10:00, February, 19), with/without commercial providingrequest (with commercial) as “commercial request”, user ID (kimkim) asthe “user ID” at the time of user registration, and a password (*****)as the “password” at the time of user registration.

When the reservation button 187 on the live type providing schedulemanagement screen 175 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 ofthe PC 2 starts a routine RT6 at the start step, and move on to the stepSP41 following the automatic upload software.

At the step SP41 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 logs in to the ASP 32 with thenetwork interface 16 (FIG. 3) over the Internet 5 and through the ISP31, and obtains authentication based on the user ID and password, etc.,by accessing the user information database 37 of the ASP 32, and then itproceeds to the next step SP42.

At the step SP42, having obtained authentication of the ASP 32, the CPU10 of the PC 2 transfers a newly created live type providing schedulecontrol file 189 to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 over theInternet 5, and it proceeds to the next step SP43.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 renews the providingschedule management database 38 with the use of the live type providingschedule control file 189 transferred from the user PC 2, andsubsequently reads out the live type providing schedule control file 189again from the providing schedule management database 38, which is sentback to the user PC 2.

At this time the management server 36 of the ASP 32 charges, oriented tothe user ID, as a service use charge a reservation fee for performingreservation processing anew to have the content of a live video providedto the user PC 2, and renews the user information DB table 45 in theuser information database 37.

At the step SP43 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 receives a supply of the renewedlive type providing schedule control file 189 with the providingschedule management database 38 renewed, and lets the display unit 17display the live type providing schedule management screen 175 again forconfirmation based on the live type providing schedule control file 189,and it proceeds to the next step SP44, terminating the processing.

The live type providing schedule management screen 175 displayed at thistime is with the time schedule frame 183A indicated, segmented in aspecific color, with the letters “FULL” for confirmation on the part ofthe content creator, whereby the content creator can easily acknowledgesthe schedule of a content reserved by himself/herself.

In such a case, however, that a reservation can not be made due to theindication of “FULL” for a desired time schedule frame on the timeschedule appoint bar 183 in the schedule time plan table 182, in which acontent of a live video is to be provided as a result of confirming thereservation status indicated in the schedule content display area 180 onthe live type providing schedule management screen 175 (FIG. 31) for apublic channel, a content of a live video can not be provided throughthat public channel.

If the my channel button 188 is clicked by the content creator locatedat the lower part of the live type providing schedule management screen175 at such a time, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 receives a supply of anon-demand type schedule control file 120 in the providing schedulemanagement database 38 from the management server 36 of the ASP 32, anddisplays a live type providing schedule management screen 190 for mychannel as shown in FIG. 34 appears based on the on-demand typeproviding schedule control file 120.

Comprising my channel schedule content display area 191, my channelgenre table area 195, codec selection area 205, commercial desiredbutton 206, commercial not desired button 207, and reservation button208, the live type providing schedule management screen 190 for this mychannel is designed to be capable of making a reservation for providinga content of a live video utilizing a “vacant” time schedule other thanthe reserved time schedule frames (time schedule frames indicated by MAand MB) on the time schedule appoint bar 194, in which a content is tobe provided in the on-demand type.

In this case, too, when a desired reservation date (e.g., February, 19)in the calendar display area 192 in the my channel schedule contentdisplay area 191 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the PC2 has the reservation status on a desired reservation date (February,19) for my channel displayed on the schedule time plan table 193 basedon the on-demand type providing schedule control file 120.

Accordingly, the content creator can confirm the reservation statusdisplayed on the schedule time plan table 193, and appoint a desiredstart time (e.g., 10:00) and end time (10:59:59) with the cursor out ofthe “vacant” time schedule on the time schedule appoint bar 194,determining a time schedule frame 194A in which to provide a content ofa live video through my channel.

Due to the above, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 acknowledges as the reservedtime schedule frame data: the start time and end time indicated in thetime schedule frame 194A determined by the content creator, concurrentlydisplaying the letters “FULL” in the time schedule frame 194A, with thereserved time schedule frame data once recorded on the HDD 12.

Next, when the clicking is made on the category (music) icon 199oriented to the video genre of a live video out of the category icons196 to 204 displayed in the my channel genre display area 195, the CPU10 of the PC 2 acknowledges the category of the selected video genre as“music”, the result of which is once recorded on the HDD 12 as thecategory data.

At this time the CPU 10 of the PC 2 indicates the letters “music” in thetime schedule frame 194A on the time schedule appoint bar 194, replacingthe letters “FULL”.

Subsequently, when a check mark is put on the MPEG4 for example as acodec in providing a client PC 4 with a content of a live video out ofthe codec selection display area 205, the CPU 10 of the PC 2acknowledges the selected codec type as MPEG4, result of which is oncerecorded on the HDD 12 as the codec type data.

Out of a commercial desired button 206 by which a client PC 4 wants acommercial video provided, affixed to the head portion of a content, anda commercial undesired button 207 by which a client PC 4 indicates thata commercial video is not desired to be provided, when the commercialdesired button 206 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of thePC 2 also creates commercial desired data by which a commercial video isdesired to be affixed to a content of a live video, which is oncerecorded on the HDD 12.

Thus, with various settings made to provide a live video of music liveas a content in my channel as described above, when the reservationbutton 208 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the PC 2creates a new live type providing schedule control file 210 for mychannel as shown in FIG. 35, which is transferred to the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5 to be recorded in theproviding schedule management database 38.

When a plurality of content creators make a reservation for providing acontent of a live video through my channel, the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 puts a limitation on the number (e.g., up to 10 pieces) ofcontents of a live video allowed to be provided in the same timeschedule frame.

Accordingly, when the management server 36 of the ASP 32 detects thatthe number allowed to provide in a given time schedule frame desired bya content creator has reached the upper limit based on a providingschedule program invoked from the internal hard disk, it does not accepta live type providing schedule control file 210 for my channel to besent from the user PC 2 thereafter, and retrieves image data on areservation unable message display screen stored in advance in theproviding schedule management database 38, which is transmitted to auser PC 2 over the Internet 5.

The CPU 10 of the PC 2 lets the display unit 17 display a reservationunable message display screen 212 as shown in FIG. 36 based on the imagedata of the reservation unable message display screen, thereby notifyingthe content creator of the fact that “the desired time schedule frame isalready fully booked, in which to provide a content of a live video onthe real time”.

Because of this, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 can provide acontent of a live video to a client PC 4 without fail on the real-timewithout a tie-up or delay in providing a content due to possibleproblems on processing performance and the bandwidth of a line becausethe upper limit of the number of contents allowed to be providedsimultaneously can never be exceeded, thus preventing the quality of acontent of a live video from being deteriorated.

As described hitherto, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 can selects a method outof two; to provide a content of a live video on the real time at adesired time on a desired date reserved, or to provide through a publicchannel, or through my channel when all the public channels are alreadybooked.

Accordingly, the content creator of a user PC 2 is to select a method toprovide through my channel when providing a live video on the real timeover an amateur band he/she operates on, or it is possible to select amethod to provide through a public channel when providing a live videoof a famous professional artist.

Like this, the content providing service system 1 is designed such thateither the on-demand type or live type may be selected as a contentproviding mode in consideration of a content or users watching andlistening in to the content.

(6-2) Connection Processing to ASP in the Live Type

Having finished reservation processing on time and date on which toprovide the content of a live video, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 next letsthe display unit 17 indicate the live type personal casting controlscreen 170 (FIG. 29) again.

At this time the content creator recognizes the content of a reservationwhen providing the content of a live video by confirming the live typepersonal casting control screen 170, and starts recording on thephotographing spot with a digital video camera 18 (FIG. 3) when thereserved start time approaches, with the connection button 82 clicked toprovide the content of a live video on the real time.

Then, the CPU 10 of the PC 2 starts a routine RT7 shown in FIG. 37following the automatic upload software at the start step, and proceedsto the step SP51.

At the step SP51 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 logs in to the ASP 32 with thenetwork interface 16 over the Internet 5 and ISP 31, and accesses theuser information database 37 in the ASP32 to obtain authentication basedon the user ID and password, etc., moving on to the next step SP52.

At the step SP52 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 lets the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 confirm the content of a live type providing schedule controlfile 189 (FIG. 32) stored in the providing schedule management database38 based on the user ID and password, and then it moves on to the nextstep SP53.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 confirms the content of thelive type providing schedule control file 189 in the providing schedulemanagement database 38, so that the PC 2 can recognize the reservationstatus regarding a content of a live video to be provided.

At the step SP53 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 is given an instruction commandto “Transmit content of live video” from the management server 36 of theASP 32 when the reserved start time arrives, and judges whether thereserved start time has arrived based on that instruction command.

A negative result, if obtained at this point, means that the instructioncommand has not been given from the management server 36, and the CPU 10stands by until an instruction command is given from the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32.

On the other hand, if an affirmative result is obtained at the stepSP53, it means that the instruction command is given from the managementserver 36 of the ASP 32, and the CPU 10 judges that the start time hasarrived, and it proceeds to the step SP54.

At the step SP54 the CPU 10 of the PC 2 starts a transferring process totransfer the content of a live video being recorded with the instructioncommand given from the management server 36 of the ASP 32 as the triggerto the management server 36 of the ASP 32 on the real time over theInternet 5, terminating the processing at the next step SP55.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 records the content of thelive video transferred from the user PC 2 in the exclusive memory areain the content server 39 assigned to the public channel, whichstream-reproduced and provided to a client PC 4 requiring it on the realtime.

At this time the control server 33 of the ISP 31 charges the Internetconnection charges occurring while the user PC 2 is transferring thecontent of the live video to the ASP 32 over the Internet 5, oriented tothe user ID of the user PC 2, and renews the charge data in the chargemanagement database 34.

Meanwhile, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 charges the serviceuse charge of the ASP 32, oriented to the user ID of he user PC 2, ofwhich charge data is transmitted to the charge management database 34via the network interface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31,renewing the charge data of the charge management database 34.

In the case that the user PC 2 has a fixed or flat rate service contractcalled “as-much-as-I-like course, the management server 36 of the ASP 32records only the connection period from connection start time and dateto connection end time and date on the user information DB table 45 inthe user information database 37, and no service use charge is charged,remaining fixed.

(6-3) Providing Processing of Content in the Live Type

Similarly to the case of receiving a supply of a content in theon-demand type, user registration is possible in the case where a clientPC 4 receives a supply of a content of a live video in the live type,and in this case, the user registration procedure is to be madefollowing the user registration procedure processing protocol of theroutine RT1 (FIG. 8), wherein the management server 36 of the ASP 32carries out the registration of a viewer information file into theviewer information database 40, oriented to the user ID and password ofthe client PC 4.

When user registration is not made, a client PC 4 may directly access,as a visitor, the Web site of the personal casting service provided bythe ASP 32. The only those clients PC 4 who made user registration areallowed to make a contribution easily to the content creator of acontent, by or with which they are moved or sympathize, or if they feelthe content is excellent.

In practice, when a content of a live video is provided to a client PC 4having conducted user registration through my channel in the live typefor example, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 starts a routine RT8shown in FIG. 38 at the start step, following a content providingprogram invoked from the internal hard disk, and moves on to the stepSP61.

At the step SP61 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is logged in bythe client PC 4, and moves to the next step SP62, referring to theviewer information file in the viewer information database 40 based onthe user ID and password transmitted from the client PC 4.

At the step SP62 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whetherthe client PC 4 logging in is a registered regular user as a result ofhaving referred to the viewer information file in the viewer informationdatabase 40 based on the user ID and password.

A negative result here, if obtained, indicates that the user ID andpassword do not match those registered in the viewer informationdatabase 40, and then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 returns tothe step SP61, prompting the client PC4 to enter the correct user ID andpassword to perform the log-in processing again.

If an affirmative result is obtained at the step SP62, it means that theclient PC 4 is a registered regular user, and the management server 36of the ASP 32 proceeds to the next step SP63.

At the step SP63 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out theHTML file of the homepage of the personal casting service from thecontent server 39 responding to the access by the client PC 4, which istransferred to the client PC 4 from the network interface 41 over theInternet 5.

At this stage the client PC 4 receives at its CPU the HTML file of thehomepage of the personal casting service transmitted from the ASP 32,which is displayed on the display unit as a homepage screen 125 (FIG.25).

When the live type my channel selection button 130 in the live modeselection display area 128 is clicked by the user on this homepagescreen 125, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits a mode selection signalindicating the selection of the live type my channel selection button130 to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5.

At the step SP64 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out theHTML file forming a genre display screen for my channel from the contentserver 39 based on the mode selection signal transmitted from the clientPC 4, which is transmitted from its network interface 41 to the clientPC 4 over the Internet 5.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of the genredisplay screen for my channel transmitted from the ASP 32, which isshown on the display unit as a genre display screen 135 (FIG. 26) for mychannel.

When any one (e.g., the “music” category icon 139) of the category icons136 to 144 is clicked by the user of a client PC 4 on this genre displayscreen 135 for my channel, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits a genreselection signal matching the “music” category icon 139 to themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5.

At the step SP65 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 retrieves theHTML file forming the live video schedule display screen regarding thevideo category “music” from the content server 39 based on the genreselection signal transferred form the client PC 4, which is transmittedfrom its network interface 41 to the client PC 4 over the Internet 5.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file forming the livevideo schedule display screen transferred from the ASP 32, which isshown on the display unit as a live video schedule display screen 220for my channel as shown in FIG. 39.

On the live video schedule display screen 220 for my channel are formeda calendar display area 221 indicating dates, schedule content displayarea 222 indicating a providing schedule on which to provide the contentof a live video through my channel, and channel type display area 224indicating the channel name currently being provided in my channel.

The current date (e.g., February, 19) is displayed in a shaded frame221A on the calendar display area 221, so that the user of the client PC4 can easily acknowledge the current date.

On the schedule content display area 222 is indicated a time scheduleframe (a period from 15:00 to 16:59:59) of the content of live video theASP 32 can provide at the current time (e.g., 15:10), which indicatesthat a content of each live video can be provided at the current timethrough my channel matching plural types (up to 10 Ch) of channelbuttons 225 to 229 displayed in the channel type display area 224.

At the step SP66 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whether adesired channel button (“Kimura” channel) 226 for example is selected bythe user of the client PC 4 watching the live video schedule displayscreen 220 for my channel.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4 acknowledges a URL set uporiented to the selected channel button 226, and a channel selectionsignal indicating that the URL is transmitted to the management server36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5, by which the management server 36of the ASP 32 acknowledges that the desired channel button 226 isclicked when the channel selection signal is received.

A negative result at this step SP66, if obtained, indicates that none ofthe channel buttons 225 to 229 displayed in the channel type displayarea 224 on the live video schedule display screen 220 is selected, andthen the management server 36 of the ASP 32 stands by until any one ofthe channel buttons 225 to 229 is selected.

If an affirmative result is obtained at the step SP66, however, it meansthat a user-desired channel button 226 is click-selected out of thechannel buttons 225 to 229, and then the management server 36 of the ASP32 proceeds to the next step SP67.

At the step SP67 the management server 36 of the ASP 32stream-reproduces movie data with commercial of a live video to beprovided at the time of clicking out of the exclusive memory area(oriented to the “Kimura” channel) in the content server 39, which istransmitted to the client PC 4 over the Internet 5, and it proceeds tothe next step SP68, terminating the processing.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 lets the display unit show the contentdisplay screen 240 of the live video as shown in FIG. 40 based on themovie data with commercial of the content transferred from the ASP 32,first displaying the commercial video in a movie display area 241located in the center of the content display screen 240 followed by amovie showing the state of the music live.

The content of a live video being transmitted to the client PC 4, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 can not provide the content from thebeginning as done in the on-demand type, so that the content of the livevideo is provided from midway, reproduced in streaming at the moment ofthe clicking.

Even in this case, however, when the commercial providing request is setto “with commercial” by the content creator of the user PC 2, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 transmits the commercial video to theclient PC 4 without fail before providing the content of the live video.

Accordingly, the client PC 4 can not watch and listen in to the contentof the live video immediately from the moment when the user-desiredchannel button 226 is clicked, but the content of the live video can bewatched and listened in to only after the commercial video is firstwatched and listen in to.

In this way, even when providing a content of a live video to a clientPC 4, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is designed to force theuser of the client PC 4 to watch and listen in to the commercial videoregardless of the user's will.

At this time the control server 33 of the ISP 31 charges the Internetconnection charge occurring while the user PC 2 is transmitting themovie data of a content of a live video to the ASP 32 over the Internet5, oriented to the user ID of the user PC 2, resulting in the renewal ofthe charge data in the charge management database 34.

At the same time the management server 36 of the ASP charges the serviceuse charge occurring while the movie data of the content of the livevideo being supplied from the user PC 2 over the Internet 5, isreproduced in streaming through the content server 39, oriented to theuser ID of the user PC 2, of which data is registered on the userinformation DB table 45 in the user information database 37, and whichis simultaneously recorded in the charge management database 34 throughthe network interface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31.

In the case that the user PC 2 has a fixed or flat rate service contractcalled “as-much-as-I-like course, the management server 36 of the ASP 32records only the connection period from connection start time and dateto connection end time and date on the user information DB table 45 inthe user information database 37, and no service use charge is charged,remaining fixed.

On the other hand, when a content of a live video is provided to auser-registered client PC 4 through a public channel for example, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 enters into a routine RT9 shown inFIG. 41 at the start step, proceeding to the step SP71, following acontent providing program invoked from the internal hard disk.

The steps SP71 to SP73 being similar to the steps SP61 to SP63 of theroutine RT8 where a content of a live video is provided through mychannel, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 transfers the HTML fileof the homepage of the personal casting service to a client PC 4 throughthe network interface 41 over the Internet 5.

Thus, the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of the personal castingservice transmitted from the ASP 32, which is displayed on the displayunit 17 as the homepage screen 125 (FIG. 25).

When the live type public channel selection button 129 in the live modeselection display area 128 is clicked by the user on this homepagescreen 125, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits a mode selection signalindicating the selection of the live type public channel selectionbutton 129 to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet5.

At the step SP74 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out theHTML forming the channel display screen for public channels from thecontent server 39 responding to the mode selection signal transmittedfrom the client PC 4, which is transmitted to the client PC 4 from itsnetwork interface 41 over the Internet 5.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 receives the HTML file of the channeldisplay screen for the public channel transferred from the ASP 32, whichis displayed on the display unit as a channel display screen 245 for thepublic channels as shown in FIG. 42.

When any one (e.g., the “music live” channel icon 247) out of videochannel icons 246 to 249 is clicked by the user of the client PC 4 onthis channel display screen for the public channels 245, the CPU of theclient PC 4 transmits a channel selection signal matching the “musiclive” channel icon 2347 to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 overthe Internet 5.

At the step SP75 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 retrieves theHTML file forming the live video schedule display screen for the publicchannels regarding the “music live” channel from the content server 39based on the channel selection signal transferred form the client PC 4,which is transmitted from its network interface 41 to the client PC 4over the Internet 5.

Thus, the PC 4 receives the HTML file forming the live video scheduledisplay screen for the public channels transferred from the ASP 32,which is shown on the display unit as the live video schedule displayscreen 255 for public channels (255) as shown in FIG. 43.

On the live video schedule display screen for the public channels 255are formed a calendar display area 256 indicating dates, and schedulecontent display area 257 indicating a providing schedule on which toprovide a content of a live video regarding the selected “music live”channel.

The current date (e.g., February, 19) is displayed in a shaded frame256A on the calendar display area 256, so that the user of the client PC4 can easily acknowledge the current date.

On the schedule content display area 257 is indicated the title of acontent of a live video to be provided by the ASP 32 on February 19. Inthis case, it means a content of “◯Δ live” is to be provided in a firsttime schedule frame 257A from 6:00 to 8:59:59, content of “xx tour” in asecond time schedule frame 257B from 10:00 to 10:59:59, and a content of“XΔ concert” in a third time schedule frame from 21:00 to 23:59:59.

On the live video schedule display screen 255 for the public channelsappears the second time schedule frame 257B matching the current time ina different color from those for the first time schedule frame 257A andthe third time schedule frame 257C in the schedule content display area257 at the current time (e.g., 10:09), whereby letting the user of aclient PC 4 easily recognize that the content of “xx tour” can bewatched and listened in to on real time as at the current moment.

At the step SP76 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whetherthe second time schedule frame 257B available at the current time (e.g.,10:09) is click-selected by the user of the client PC 4 watching thelive video schedule display screen 255 for the public channels.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4 recognizes a URL set up to the“music live” channel of the public channels when the second timeschedule frame 257B selected, and a channel selection signal indicatingthe URL is transmitted to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 overthe Internet 5, by which the management server 36 of the ASP 32acknowledges that the second time schedule frame 257B is selected whenthe channel selection signal is received.

A negative result at this step SP76, if obtained, indicates that thesecond time schedule frame 257B available at the current time out of theschedule content display area 257 is not selected, and then themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 stands by until the second timeschedule frame 257B is selected.

If an affirmative result is obtained at the step SP76, however, it meansthat the second time schedule frame 257B is selected out of the schedulecontent display area 257, and then the management server 36 of the ASP32 proceeds to the next step SP77.

At the step SP77 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reproduces instreaming the movie data (“xx tour”) with commercial of a live video tobe provided in the “music live” channel at the time of clicking out ofthe exclusive memory area, oriented to the “music live” channel, in thecontent server 39, which is transmitted to the client PC 4 over theInternet 5, and it proceeds to the next step SP78, terminating theprocessing.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4 lets the display unit show a contentdisplay screen 260 of the live video as shown in FIG. 44 based on themovie data with commercial (“xx tour”) of the live video transferredfrom the ASP 32, and the live video (“xx tour”) matching the second timeschedule frame 257B selected through the “music live” channel in themovie display area 261 located in the center of the content displayscreen 260.

In this case, too, a content of a live video is to be provided,reproduced in streaming, from the moment of the second time scheduleframe 257B clicked, and when the commercial providing request of acontent is set to “with commercial”, the commercial video is firstprovided to the client PC 4 from the moment of the clicking, followingby the content of a live video.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to force the user of theclient PC 4 to watch and listen in to the commercial video regardless ofhis/her will even when providing a content of a live video to the clientPC 4 through a public channel.

At this time the control server 33 of the ISP 31 charges the Internetconnection charge occurring while the user PC 2 is transmitting themovie data of a content of a live video to the ASP 32 over the Internet5, oriented to the user ID of the user PC 2, resulting in the renewal ofthe charge data in the charge management database 34.

At the same time the management server 36 of the ASP the service usecharge occurring while the movie data of a content of a live video beingsupplied from the user PC 2 over the Internet 5, is reproduced instreaming through the content server 39, oriented to the user ID of theuser PC 2, of which data is registered on the user information DB table45 in the user information database 37, and which is simultaneouslyrecorded in the charge management database 34 through the networkinterface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31.

However, in the case that a user PC 2 has a fixed or flat rate servicecontract called “as-much-as-I-like course, the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 records only the connection period from connection start timeand date to connection end time and date on the user information DBtable 45 in the user information database 37, and no service use chargeis charged, remaining fixed.

(7) Contribution Processing by Client PC

The user of a client PC 4 is allowed to make a contribution easily to acontent creator if he/she is moved by or sympathizes with contentprovided, or if he/she feels that a content is excellent.

When a user watching and listening in to a content clicks a contributionbutton 167, 242, or 262 placed respectively on the content displayscreen 165 (FIG. 28) of the on-demand type displayed on the display unitbased on a movie file with commercial of a content downloaded from theASP32, or on the content display screen 240 (FIG. 40) and contentdisplay screen 260 (FIG. 44 of the live type displayed on the displayunit based on a movie with commercial of a content of a live video, theCPU of a client PC 4 has a contribution amount selection screen 270 asshown in FIG. 45 displayed next to the contribution buttons 167, 242,and 262 following a contribution program invoked from the internal harddisk (not shown in figure).

On this contribution amount selection screen 270 are formed contributionselection buttons 271 to 276 corresponding to the various amounts ofcontributions, and the user of a client PC 4 can click-select anycontribution selection button out of the same contribution amountbuttons 271 to 276 freely corresponding to an amount he/she wishes tocontribute.

Accordingly, when the user clicks the contribution selection button 272to make a contribution of ¥1,000 for example, the CPU of the client PC 4creates contribution data of the amount corresponding to the selectedcontribution selection button 272, which is transmitted to themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 over the Internet 5.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 converts the contribution datatransmitted from the client PC 4 into points on the basis of a givenconversion rate, and retrieves a user information DB table 45 matchingthe content ID from the user information database 37, renewing theaccumulated number of points on the user information DB table 45 withthe points based on the contribution data.

The CPU of the client PC 4 creates charge data matching the contributiondata, which is transmitted to the management server 36 of the ASP 32over the Internet 5. Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32records the charge data for the contribution amount in a viewerinformation file in the viewer information database 40, along with theservice use charge for the ASP32 the client PC 4 used.

At the same time the ISP 31, too, charges the Internet connection chargeoccurring while the client PC 4 is receiving a supply of a content fromthe ASP 31 over the Internet 5, of which amount data is recorded in theviewer information file in the viewer information database 40 as well asin the amount management database 34.

Meantime, when a visitor other than registered users makes acontribution to the content creator, the click of the contributionbuttons 167, 242, or 262 by the visitor lets the CPU of the client PC 4display a contribution amount selection screen 270 (FIG. 45) as well asan input screen (not shown in figure) for a credit card number and otherinformation, with which the visitor makes a contribution, promoting thevisitor to enter a credit card number.

Consequently, the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits the credit cardnumber data and the contribution data of an amount corresponding to acontribution selection button to the management server 36 of the ASP 32over the Internet 5, which renews the number of accumulated points onthe user information DB table 45 with the points corresponding to thecontribution data.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 transmits the contribution dataof the amount the visitor contributes to the charge management databaseof a credit card company based on the credit card number data,requesting the credit card company to perform charge processing on thecontribution by the visitor.

(8) Monthly Point Settlement Processing

Lastly, explanation is given on the monthly points settlement processingby which a profits give-back is made to a content creator, proportionateto the number of accumulated points on the user information DB table 45calculated by the month, but before that, recapping the providingprocess procedure for content with commercial video to be provided to aclient PC 4, a routine RT10 shown in FIG. 46 is started at the startstep, and it moves on to the SP81.

At the step SP81 the CPU of a client PC 4 acknowledges that a desiredchannel button 155 is clicked by a user out of the channel displayscreen 150 (FIG. 27), and then it proceeds to the next step SP82.

At the step SP82 the CPU of the client PC 4 transmits a content IDmatching the selected channel button 155 to the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 over the Internet 5, and it proceeds to the next step SP83.

At the step SP83 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 turns on acontent providing program invoked from the internal hard disk, andretrieves the on-demand type schedule control file 120 out of theproviding schedule management database 38 based on the content IDtransmitted from the client PC 4 for example, and after confirming theuser ID and the content of a commercial request, it moves on the nextstep SP84.

At the step SP84, after confirming the on-demand type providing schedulecontrol file 120, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whetherthe commercial request is set to “with commercial”.

A negative results, if obtained, means that a commercial video is notappended to a content “without commercial” to be provided to the clientPC 4, and then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to thestep SP87 to provide the movie file of the content not appended with acommercial video, terminating the processing at the next step SP88.

Whereas, if an affirmative result is obtained at the step SP84, it meansthat the commercial request is set to “with commercial” with acommercial video affixed to a content to be provided to a client PC 4,and then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to the nextstep SP85.

At the step SP85 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 creates acontent of a movie file with commercial by appending a commercial videostored in the commercial management database 44 to the head portion of amovie file stored in the content server 39, which is once stored in thecontent server 39, and then it moves on to the next step SP86.

At the step SP86 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 renews thenumber of accumulated points on the user information DB table file 45 inthe user information database 37 with the points occurred when a contentof the movie file with commercial is provided to the client PC 4, and itproceeds to the next step SP87.

At the step SP87 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out acontent of a movie file with commercial from the content server 39 whenthe commercial request is “with commercial”, which is provided to theclient PC 4 over the Internet 5, and it proceeds to the next step SP88terminating the processing.

Like this, in the content providing system 1, when the management server36 of the ASP 32 reads out a content of a movie file with commercialfrom the content server 39 with the commercial request set to “withcommercial” and provides it to the client PC 4, points are generated,with the number of accumulated points on the user information DB table45 renewed consequently.

Next, in the content providing system 1, recapitulation is made on themonthly points settlement processing procedure followed when performingprofits give-back processing for a content creator, matching the numberof accumulated points on the user information DB table 45 calculated bythe month. A routine RT11 shown in FIG. 47 is started at the start step,and it proceeds to the step SP91.

At the step SP91 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 renews the userinformation DB table 45 by adding to it the Internet connection chargeto the ISP31 and the service user charge of the ASP32 by the user PC 2(when the “as-much-as-I-like course” is set up, the service use chargeremains fixed), and it proceeds to the next step SP92.

At the step SP92 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out themonthly number of accumulated points, referring to the user informationDB table 45 stored in the user information database 37, and it proceedsto the next step SP93.

At the step SP93 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whetherthe number of accumulated points left over is greater than a givennumber of points.

A negative result here, if obtained, means that the number ofaccumulated points left over is not greater than a given number ofpoints, then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 moves on to the nextstep SP94.

At the step SP94, since the number of accumulated points left over isnot greater than a given number of points, the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 performs an invoicing process of the service use charge atthe current time to a user PC 2 without conducting profits give-backprocessing matching the number of accumulated points, and it proceeds tothe next step SP101 terminating the processing.

Whereas, if an affirmative result is obtained at the step SP93, it meansthat the monthly number of accumulated points left over is greater thana given number of points, and then the management server 36 of the ASP32 proceeds to the next step SP95 to perform profits give-backprocessing proportionate to the number of accumulated points.

At the step SP95 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 subtracts theamount of the service use charge of the ASP 32 proportionate to thenumber of accumulated points on the user information DB table 45, andrenews the user information AB table 45 by subtracting the number ofpoints proportionate to the service use charge subtracted from thenumber of accumulated points on the user information DB table 45, andthen it proceeds to the next step SP96.

Thus, the service use charge charged through a credit card company fromthe APS32 is subtracted or set off, so the content creator of a user PC2 is to receive a profits give-back proportionate to the accumulatedpoints.

At the step SP96 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whetherthe number of accumulated points left over is greater than a givennumber of points after the service use charge of the ASP32 is givenback.

A negative result here, if obtained, means that the number ofaccumulated points left over is smaller than a given number of points,then the management server 36 of the ASP 32 moves on to the next stepSP94 to perform invoicing processing on the service use charge,terminating the processing at the next step SP101.

On the other hand, if an affirmative result is obtained at the stepSP96, it indicates that the number of accumulated points left over isgreater than a given number of points, then the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 proceeds to the next step SP97.

At the step SP97 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 subtracts theamount of the Internet connection charge to the ISP 31 of a user PC 2proportionate to the number of accumulated points, and renews the userinformation DB table 45 by subtracting the number of pointsproportionate to the Internet connection charge subtracted from thenumber of accumulated points on the user information DB table 45, andthen it proceeds to the next step SP98.

Thus, the Internet connection charge demanded through the credit cardcompany is subtracted or set off, so the a content creator of the userPC 2 is to receive a profits give-back proportionate to the accumulatedpoints following the service use charge of the ASP 32.

At the step SP98 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 judges whetheraccumulated points are still left over at this moment, and if theaccumulated points greater than one million are left over, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 moves on to the next step SP99.

At the step SP99 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 instructs thecredit card company to subtract the number of accumulated points overone million from the settlement data through the credit card company,and then renews the number of accumulated points by subtracting thenumber of accumulated points over one million from the number ofaccumulated points on the user information DB table 45, then it goesback to the step SP98.

Whereas, if the number of accumulated points left over is smaller thanone million points but greater than one hundred thousand at the stepSP98, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to the next stepSP100.

At the step SP100 the management server 36 of the ASP 32 transfers pointdata on the portion of the number of accumulated points over one hundredthousand to an online communication sales company 6 over the Internet 5,and renews the number of accumulated points by subtracting the number ofpoints over one hundred thousand points from the number of accumulatedpoints on the user information DB table 45, terminating the processingat the next step SP101.

In this case, the online communication sales company 6 acknowledgespersonal information including the address and e-mail address of acontent creator based on the contents of the user information SB table45 transferred from the ASP 32 at the time of user registration, anddelivers a given item (merchandise) proportionate to the number ofpoints over one hundred thousand to the content creator of user PC 2,whereby performing profits give-back processing.

Furthermore, when the number of accumulated points left over is smallerthan one hundred thousand at the step SP98, the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 moves to the step SP94 to perform invoicing processing on theservice use charge, terminating the processing at the next step SP101.

(9) Operation and Effect of the First Invention in the Present Mode ofEmbodiment

Structured as described above, in the case of the on-demand type, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 secures the exclusive storage areafor each content creator in the content server matching a URL assignedto each user PC 2 at the time of user registration, in which the moviefile of a content supplied from the user PC 2 is stored.

Then, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 recognizes the time when ademand is made for a content from a client PC 4 over the Internet 5, andreads out the movie file with commercial of a content of a video type tobe provided in the time schedule including that very time from theexclusive storage area in the content server 39, which is provided tothe client PC 4 over the Internet 5.

In this way, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 provides the clientPC 4 with the only type of a content set up in advance for each timeschedule frame in which a content is demanded, following a on-demandtype providing schedule control file 120 set up in advance by thecontent creator, so that a content made by an individual person can beprovided as if from telecast whose programs change for each timeschedule frame.

Due to that, the user of a client PC 4 make an access as many time ashe/she likes without getting tired because a different content isprovided for each time schedule frame.

Also, because the only kind of a content is provided to the client PC 3in each time schedule frame in which a demand is made, the content canbe transmitted swiftly without fail, not requiring as wide a bandwidthof a network resource as when providing plural kinds of contentssimultaneously.

As well, as a content providing system 1 the user of the client PC 4 isnever made to get weary so that the number of accesses may increase as aresult of the increased popularity of the personal casting service,making it possible to structure a business model that may increasinglyimprove the advertisement effectiveness of a commercial video providedprior to a content.

Structured as described hitherto, in the content providing system 1 themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 has the movie file of a contentstored in the exclusive storage area in the content server 39 orientedto a URL assigned to each user PC 2, and provides a different kind of acontent in order for each time schedule frame in which a content isdemanded from a client PC 4, so that the content is provided to the userof the client PC 4 without making him/her weary.

(10) Operation and Effect of the Second Invention in the Present Mode ofEmbodiment

Structured as above, in the case of the live type, the management server36 of the ASP 32 secures the exclusive storage area in the contentserver 39 oriented to a URL assigned to each public channel for thepublic for the purpose of supply a content of a live video, and make areservation for each time schedule frame so that a plurality of users PC2 can share the exclusive storage area.

Then, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 writes contents of a livevideo supplied from a user PC 2 having made a reservation over theInternet 5 in the exclusive content server 39 in reserved time scheduleframes, which are streaming-reproduced in order, thereby making itpossible to provided contents of a live video on the real time over theInternet 5 to clients PC 4 accessing the public channel.

At this time the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is to provide thecontents of a live video through a public channel for the public beingaccessed by clients PC 4 a large number of times, so that contents canbe provided widely to many and unspecific clients PC 4 accessing thepublic channel.

And, as a content providing system 1, because different kinds ofcontents of a live video can be provided for each time schedule frame inwhich a client PC 4 accesses the public channel, the client PC will notget weary. As a result, the number of accesses may increase due to therising popularity of the personal casting service, making it possible toconfigure a business model that may increasingly enhance theadvertisement effect of a commercial video to be provided prior to acontent.

Also, in a computer network system, in the case that a user of a clientPC 4 has a desire to be provided with any content of a specific category(e.g., “music live” or “car”) regardless of who the creator is, it isnot necessary for him/her to access each individual homepage afterspecifying a video category with a retrieval engine, etc. The client PC4 can have various contents regarding specific video categories (e.g.,“music live” or “car” in each time schedule frame by merely accessingthe public channel.

According to the foregoing structure, the management server 36 of theASP 32 in the content providing system 1 secures the storage area in thecontent server 39 oriented to a URL assigned to each public channel forthe public, and reserves each time schedule frame so that a plurality ofusers PC 2 can share the exclusive storage area, with the use of which acontent of a live video can be stream-reproduced in each reserved timeschedule frame, thereby making it possible to provide a content of alive video on the real time to many and unspecific clients PC 4accessing in each time schedule frame.

(11) Operations and Effects of the Third Invention in the Present Modeof Embodiment

In the structure described, the management server 36 of the ASP 32receives a live type providing schedule control file 210 for my channels(FIG. 35) transmitted from a user PC 2 over the Internet, which isregistered in the providing schedule management database 38.

It should be noted, however, that, with the limitation put on the numberof contents of a live video to be provided from each my channel in thesame time schedule frame when accepting reservations by which to providecontents of a live video through my channel, the management server 36 ofthe ASP 32 will not accept a live type providing schedule control file210 for my channel (FIG. 345) thereafter, with the image data on areservation unable message display screen transmitted to the user PC 2,letting the display unit 17 of the user PC 2 indicate a reservationunable message display screen 212 (FIG. 36).

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 lets the content creatorconfirm the reservation unable message display screen 212 indicated onthe display unit 17 of the user PC 2, thereby letting the contentcreator become aware that the desired time schedule frame is alreadyfully booked to provide a content of a live video.

In this way, that is, with a limitation put on the number of contents ofa live video to be provided at one time responding to demands from aplurality of clients PC 4 in consideration of the processing performanceof the management server 36 and the bandwidth of the line, themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 is capable of providing contents of alive video swiftly on the real time to the client PC 4 without delay.

Structured as described hitherto, with a limitation put on the number ofcontents to be provided at one time the management server 36 of the ASP32 can provide the number of contents within the limitation on the realtime without fail. Also, when the number of contents reaches the uppervalue of the limitation, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 will notaccept further reservations thereafter, and lets the display unit 17 ofthe user PC 2 indicate the reservation unable message display screen212, which makes the content creator aware that a reservation isimpossible.

(12) Other Modes of Embodiment

In the foregoing mode of embodiment, explanation is given on the casewhere a content of a movie is provided to a client PC 4 through thecontent server 39 as content storing and providing means over theInternet 5 as a network following the on-demand type providing schedulecontrol file 120 as a providing schedule stored in the providingschedule management database 38 as a providing schedule database underthe control of the management server 36 as control means. However, thepresent invention is not limited to it, and a content of still images ormusic data may be provided. In this case, too, similar effect to that inthe foregoing mode of embodiment can be obtained.

Furthermore, in the foregoing mode of embodiment, explanation is givenon the case where the storage area in the content server 39 oriented toa public channel for the public is prepared for each video category(wedding ceremony channel, music live channel, theater live channel,event live channel), however, the present invention is not limited toit, and the exclusive storage area can be prepared for each of othercategories such as artists.

Also, in the foregoing mode of embodiment, explanation is given on thecase where the content server 39 as content storing and providing meansstores a content of a movie supplied from a user PC 2 as the firstinformation processing device, and provides the content to a client PC 4as the second information processing device on the real time, however,the present invention is not limited to it, and contents other than livevideo such as those of still images or music data can be provided.

Furthermore, in the foregoing mode of embodiment, explanation is givenon the case where the management server 36 of the ASP 32 as controlmeans controls a system so that a plurality of users PC 2 can share theexclusive storage area in the content server 39 oriented to a publicchannel in each time schedule frame, however, the present invention isnot limited to it, and it can be shared on a basis of the day of theweek.

Furthermore, in the foregoing mode of embodiment, explanation is givenon the case where a limitation is put on the number of contents of alive video to be provided at one time by the content server 39 ascontent storing means through my channel. However, the present inventionis not limited to it, and a limitation can be set to the numbers ofother various items according to the processing performance of themanagement server 36 and the bandwidth of the line. In this case, too,similar effects to those in the foregoing mode of embodiment can beobtained.

Furthermore, in the foregoing mode of embodiment, explanation is givenon the case where the management server 36 of the ASP 32 as providingschedule setting means and control means lets the display unit 17 of theuser PC 2 display the reservation unable message display screen 212 bytransmitting the image data of a reservation unable message displayscreen to a user PC 2. However, the present invention is not limited toit, and other time schedule frames for which a reservation is availablecan be indicated on the reservation unable message display screen 212,along with a reservation unable message.

Furthermore, in the foregoing mode of embodiment, explanation is givenon the case where a live video is used as a content provided by themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32, however, the present invention isnot limited to it, and live voices can be used as well.

Also, a content providing program with which to perform a contentproviding processing of the on-demand type, a content providing programwith which to perform a content providing processing of the live type, aproviding schedule program with which to display a reservation unablemessage display screen 212 on the display unit 17 of the user PC 2 areinstalled on the hard disc in the management server 36 of the ASP 32.However, the present invention is not limited to it, but the contentproviding program or the providing schedule program can be installed byreproducing a program storing media composed of package media such as aCompact Disc-Read only Memory (CD-ROM) and Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)storing the content providing program or the providing schedule program.As well, the content providing program or the providing schedule programcan be installed by reproducing program storing media such as asemiconductor memory or magneto-optical disc capable of storing thecontent providing program or the providing schedule program temporarilyor permanently.

Wired or wireless communication media such as a local area network anddigital satellite broadcast can be also used as means for storing thecontent providing program or the providing schedule program into thoseprogram storing media. Also, a variety of communication interfaces suchas a router or modem can be involved in the process of storing.

Furthermore, in the foregoing mode of embodiment, explanation is givenon the case where the Internet 5 is used as a network. However, thepresent invention is not limited to it, and a variety of other networksconfigured wired or wireless can be employed.

Furthermore, in the aforementioned mode of embodiment, explanation isgiven on the case where a client PC 4 is used as an object themanagement server 36 of the ASP 32 provides a content to. However, thepresent invention is not limited to it, but a content can be providedresponding to demands through portable information terminals or mobiletelephones having a display provided that they be connected over theInternet 5. It is also possible with digital video cameras or digitalstill cameras with a communication function. Moreover, in the user PC 2of the content creator, a content can be provided using the portableinformation terminals or mobile telephones having a camera. It is alsopossible with the digital video cameras or digital still cameras with acommunication function.

According to the first invention of the present invention describedhitherto, because different kinds of contents can be provided, as iffrom a personal broadcast station, in each time schedule frame in whicha demand is made by a client, it is possible to provide many kinds ofcontents in order in accordance with the providing schedule withoutmaking the client weary, still more, the only kind of a content in eachtime schedule frame, so that contents can be provided swiftly withoutfail, not consuming a large part of the bandwidth of a line.

According to the second invention of the present invention describedhitherto, because a plurality of the first information processingdevices can share the exclusive write storage area placed in the contentstoring and providing means, a plurality of the first informationprocessing devices having written contents in the exclusive storage areacan provide contents widely to many and unspecific second informationprocessing devices accessing the exclusive write storage area availableto provide content to the public.

According to the third invention of the present invention, with theupper limitation value put on the number of contents to be provided atone time, when it is detected that the number of contents to be providedin a desired providing schedule time at one time reaches a given upperlimitation, it is notified of an information processing device that areservation can not be made at that particular providing schedule timeover a network, preventing against setting a providing schedule for thenumber of contents exceeding the upper limitation value, so thatcontents can be always provided to a plurality of clients swiftlywithout fail.

While there has been described in connection with the preferredembodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be aimed, therefore, tocover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A content providing method executed on hardware, the methodcomprising: storing plural kinds of contents in an exclusive writestorage area, said exclusive write storage area storing only contentsprovided by a single person; recognizing a demand time corresponding toa demand from said person for a desired kind of content to be sent overa network from the stored contents; judging the desired kind of contentfrom the stored contents to be provided over the network to the personin a time frame set up in a providing schedule based on the demand time;and providing the desired kind of content to the person according to thetime frame set up in the providing schedule.
 2. The content providingmethod according to claim 1, wherein said exclusive write storage areais oriented to a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) assigned to said person.3. The content providing method according to claim 1, wherein saidproviding continues providing content until completion, even after thetime frame set up in said providing schedule is over.
 4. A computerreadable program storage medium for storing a program for executing acontent providing method on hardware, the method comprising: storingplural kinds of contents in an exclusive write storage area saidexclusive write storage area storing only contents provided by a singleperson; recognizing a demand time corresponding to a demand from saidperson for a desired kind of content to be sent over a network from thestored contents; judging the desired kind of content from the storedcontents to be provided over the network to the person in a time frameset up in a providing schedule based on the demand time; and providingthe desired kind of content to the person according to the time frameset up in the providing schedule.
 5. The computer readable programstorage medium according to claim 4 wherein said exclusive write storagearea is oriented to a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) assigned to saidperson.
 6. The computer readable program storage medium according toclaim 4 wherein said providing continues providing content untilcompletion, even after the time frame set up in said providing scheduleis over.